Omaha daily bee., 1887-05-08
SUNDAY GOSSIP.


SUNDAY GOSSIP.
The class Of business buildings going up
this year in Omaha would be credit to any
city in the country. The most beautiful and
imposing structure will be PaNton's new
building at the northeast corner of Farnam
and Sixteenth streets. Its architectural
beauties are already becoming apparent and
are daily attracting the attention and elicit
ing the admiration or the public. This struc-
ture will cost in the vicinity of $4,000 and
will be monument to the enterprise of Will
liam A. Paxton, as we'll as to the architec
tural skill of Mendelssohn & Lawrie. The
most substantial building, designed by the
same architects, will be the First National
bank, which will be thoroughly tire-proOf. 1t
is being constructed with stone, brick an
iron. While it is massive and solid in ap-
pearance, it is not without architectural at
front. The cost of this structu re will be in
the vicinity of S25OOOO. The Merchants
National bank, on the opposite corner, de-
signed by Van Brunt & Howe of Boston. will
be an architectural beauty. 1t will be striking
pile as the style of architecture will be differ.
ent from anything yet seen in Omaha. Its
height will be seven stories. The plans
have been changed so as to make it fire-proof.
The cost will be slightly less than that Of
its neighbor across the way. The
United States National folks are
rushing along their new building, and will
occupy 1t this fall. This bank will also pre-
sent an attractive appearance. The plans
were drawn by Hodgson 81 Son. Another
very handsome building, designed by Men
delssohn Il Lswrie, is that of Frank j.
Range, on Fifteenth street. 1t Is nearly
completed, the cost being over $4,000 Mr..
Shelley intends to put up siX-story build
ing just south of 1t, this season. The Bar.
kers propose to build on the southwest
corner of Farnam and Fifteenth streets, .
handsomer structure than the one that was
burned down. And now comes the New
York Life Insurance company's building at
the northwest corner of Farnam and Seven
teenth streets. The BEE stated that this was
to be seven stories This was mistake, as
MIR. G. 7. Taylor, the company's general
western agent--who induced tho company to
build in Omaha-.says that 1t Is to be ten full
Stories 1t will be fire proof structure, and
will cost over S5OO,0O0. The plans, drawn by
Babb, Cook & Millard, Of New York, show
that 1t will be magnificent building. 1t Is
designed for Office purposes. The excavation
is now being made. These are only few Of
the, building items in Omaha. 1t would require
ten or twelve columns of fine type to give
even the briefest mention of all the build
ings that are now in course of construction n
Omaha. 1t will be the biggest year both as
to amount expended and number of build
ings erected that Omaha has yet had.
"Whisky won, all the same" said Mr.
Richardson, the prohibition candidate for
mayor, the morning after election. "HOw's
thatP' he was asked. ut was used by both
republicans and democrats, and the former
got there"
'sThe variety stage" said an old timer the
other night, who has for nearly twenty years
been connected with the vaudeville, ''is the
fesslon. In fact, may say that the cleverest
people on the American stage to-day are
graduates from that school. Nat Goodwin
was an old variety man, and it wasn't many
years ago that he was doing song and
dance turn-and not commanding very good
wages either, Who is this Henry Dixie who
made such a big hit in Adonis? Nothing In
the world but an old variety man. Not long
ago he was working In 'free-and-easy
place In New York city. And l remember
distinctly seeing him hissed off the stage in a
little Massachusetts town, where he gave an
exhibition which was simply rotten. His
partner used to be Richard Golden, the hus-
band of Dora Wiley, who by the way, is an
other variety graduate. The team was Col
den and Dixie then, and their work was
anything but clever. In truth their busi
ness was by-word among the members OF
the vaudeville profession then. But after
wards they improved and when
they separated each caught on
to line of work which tool
with the people. Then they began to
rise-and you see where they are now.
George s. Knight was another graduate from
the variety stage--and where will you find 6
better man in his line of business than he Is.
Yet can remember the time when Knigh
was fired from free-and-easy variety show
| in New York city for incompetency and
drunkenness. James O'Neill the great
Monte Cristo, was another man who got his
start on the variety stage. Pat Rooney, wht
| had no superior in his branch OF tho pro
| fession, was doing song and dance turn or
| the variety stage several years ago, which
| brought HIM little glory and less mon ey
| without going any fu rther, | can assure yOl
| that if you'll take the trouble to investigate
| you'll find nearly all of the best comedians
| on the American stage to-day sprung from
the vaudeville school,"
~
| "Wages are not what they used to be- in
the variety profession" said the speaker
| meditatively after few moments silence
"A man who a few years ago could comnant
SIS week has hard work to get $40 to day
What's the trouble? Oh, so many greer
Youngsters are coming into the business nov
| These dime museums, with their stage at
tachmcnt, are doing great deal to cheaper
| prices. A bOotblack or newsboy who pick
up some taking songs, or can do neat sons
and dance turn. applies to the manager 0
! 0ne Of these places for chance TO try hi
work on the public Perhaps he makes
land then he keeps on until be has gained
sew months eSperience-of very chea
sort Then he stats out Through the coun
try as a variety man. Such fellows are bein
turned out by score every week In the large
cities. The tastes OF the patrons OF thes
dime museums, are not OF the most elevate
sort The consequence Is that the youth
who aspire to hold down the boards In thes
places do not possess, as a rule. an unusaa
| amount OF talent.